Paraguay Biodiversity and Tropical Forests Report
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REPORT ON BIODIVERSITY AND TROPICAL FORESTS IN PARAGUAY SEPTEMBER 2007 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DAI. July 2010. THIS PUBLICATION WAS PRODUCED FOR THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. PREPARED BY BRUCE KERNAN, WILLIAM CORDERO, ANA MARIA MACEDO SIENRA AND JANET VILLALBA IMPROVED MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF CRITICAL WATERSHEDS PROJECT Front Cover: Lapacho (Tabebuia spp) trees in bloom in the Chaco of Paraguay Credit: Oscar Rodas Report on Biodiversity and Tropical Forests in Paraguay PREPARED BY: Bruce S. Kernan, Team Leader William Cordero, Forestry Specialist Ana Maria Macedo Sienra, Biodiversity Specialist Janet Villalba Marín, GIS Specialist July 2010 DISCLAIMER The authors‟ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................. VI I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 A. Purpose of the Report ............................................................................................1 B. Structure of the Report ...........................................................................................1 C. Methodology ............................................................................................................1 D. Gaps in the Available Information ..........................................................................2 E. USAID/Paraguay’s Country Strategy......................................................................3 1. Health....................................................................................................................3 2. Democracy and Governance ...............................................................................3 3. Economic Growth ................................................................................................3 II. THE GEOGRAPHY OF PARAGUAY ........................................................................................ 4 A. Physical Geography ................................................................................................4 1. Location and Size ................................................................................................4 2. Geology and Topography ....................................................................................4 3. Soils ......................................................................................................................4 4. Climate..................................................................................................................4 5. Hydrology .............................................................................................................5 B. Social Geography ....................................................................................................6 1. Land Use ..............................................................................................................6 2. Demography .........................................................................................................7 3. Economy ..............................................................................................................7 4. Government..........................................................................................................8 III. STATUS OF THE BIODIVERSITY AND FORESTS OF PARAGUAY ................................... 9 A. The Biodiversity of Paraguay .................................................................................9 1. Ecosystem Diversity ............................................................................................9 2. Species Biodiversity ..........................................................................................10 3. Genetic Biodiversity ..........................................................................................12 B. The Forests of Paraguay .......................................................................................12 1. Eastern Paraguay...............................................................................................12 2. Western Paraguay..............................................................................................13 3. Forest Products .................................................................................................15 ii Tropical Forests and Biodiversity Assessment (FAA 118 & 119) July 2010 4. Value of Ecosystem Services of the Forest .....................................................16 IV. THREATS TO THE FORESTS AND BIODIVERSITY OF PARAGUAY .............................. 16 A. Direct Threats ........................................................................................................16 1. Loss, Fragmentation and Degradation of Habitat and Forests .......................16 2. Over -Exploitation ..............................................................................................23 3. Contamination ....................................................................................................23 4. Aggressive Exotic Species ...............................................................................23 5. Climate Change ..................................................................................................23 B. Indirect Threats .....................................................................................................24 1. State Policies and Laws ....................................................................................24 2. Poverty, Inequity and Corruption .....................................................................24 3. Infrastructure projects .......................................................................................25 V. ACTIONS TO CONSERVE PARAGUAY’S BIODIVERSITY AND FORESTS .................... 26 A. Conservation Actions ...........................................................................................26 1. Conservation within Protected Areas ...............................................................26 2. Conservation outside of Protected Areas ........................................................32 3. Policies, Strategies, Laws and Regulations .....................................................36 4. Research for Conservation ...............................................................................39 5. Formal Education in Conservation and Sustainable Use................................40 6. Institutions .........................................................................................................41 7. Land Use Planning and Regulation ..................................................................45 8. Public Support for Conservation and Sustainable Use ...................................47 9. Financial incentives for conservation ..............................................................48 10. Financing for Conservation Institutions...........................................................49 B. Designing and Implementing Conservation Actions ..........................................50 1. Evaluation of Prior Conservation Experiences ................................................50 2. Environmental Assessment ..............................................................................51 3. Coordination ......................................................................................................51 4. Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................................52 VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................... 53 Tropical Forests and Biodiversity Assessment (FAA 118 & 119) iii July 2010 Tables Table 1. Land use in Western Paraguay in 2009 ............................................................................... 6 Table 2. Land use in Eastern Paraguay 2008 - 2009 ......................................................................... 6 Table 3. Diversity of plant and animal groups in Paraguay .............................................................. 10 Table 4. Forest cover by department in Eastern Paraguay 2008...................................................... 13 Table 5. Area of forest cover in Western Paraguay by department 2009.......................................... 14 Table 6. Results of three forest inventories in Western Paraguay .................................................... 15 Table 7. Forest cover by department in Paraguay 1990 - 2000 ........................................................ 16 Table 8. Protected areas in Paraguay ............................................................................................. 26 Table 9. Areas and percentage of Paraguay‟s ecoregions within SINASIP ...................................... 28 Table 10. Summary of the legal status of the protected areas in SINASIP ........................................ 29 Table 11. Categories and areas of biosphere reserves in Paraguay ................................................. 30 Table 12. Private protected areas in the process of creation ............................................................ 30 Table 13. Conservation easements in Paraguay .............................................................................